Midday Edition

Imagine an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Is "detention center" the accurate way to describe it?

Political scientists and legal scholars have been asking whether we're using the right language to talk about immigration enforcement. Some argue that calling them "immigrant jails," "immigration camps," or even "concentration camps" is more accurate.

But others say using the term "concentration camp" diminishes the horrors of the Holocaust — the Nazi genocide of Jewish people.

The debate around the language we use to describe immigration is not new. Experts have also considered how to describe the incarceration of Japanese Americans on U.S. soil during World War II.

On KPBS Midday Edition, we sit down with three experts to help us unpack this debate and help us understand the weight of our language.

Guests:

• Tom Wong, associate professor of political science, UC San Diego; director of U.S. Immigration Policy Center
• Raquel Aldana, professor of law, UC Davis
• Benjamin Gonzalez O'Brien, professor of political science, San Diego State University; editor of Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics

Keep reading:

• When do ‘detention centers’ become ‘concentration camps’? Experts look to history
• When immigration detention becomes a system of concentration: Lessons from research on 150 historical cases
• This Isn't The 1st Time Americans Have Debated What To Call Detention Centers
• Concentration Camps Are Older Than World War II
• One Long Night: A Global History of Concentration Camps
• Amid escalating medical concerns, Otay Mesa Detention Center faces a question of oversight

An outbreak of a severe stomach illness leading to diarrhea, fatigue, and stomach pain has hit several states in the past few months, concerning public health officials across the country.

Case numbers of cyclosporiasis in San Diego County remain low, with no local outbreaks detected as of yet.

On Midday Edition Monday, we talk about the illness — its symptoms, treatment options, and what you can do to prevent its spread.

Guests:

• Dr. Ankita Kadakia, deputy public health officer, County of San Diego
• Richard Garfein, PhD, Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, UC San Diego

Inside jails across California, a controversial police practice is happening.

Undercover agents pose as incarcerated people. Their goal is to get confessions out of suspects.

The tactics — known as Perkins Operations — have led to hundreds of murder convictions.

But critics call the pratice coercion. They also say it promotes racially-biased policing.

Now, the California Supreme Court is reviewing a number of convictions.

On KPBS Midday Edition, we talk about a recent CalMatters investigation into Perkins Operations and the controversy surrounding them.

Guest:

• Cayla Mihalovich, justice reporter and California Local News Fellow, CalMatters

Cayla Mihalovich completed this story with the support of a grant from Columbia University’s Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights in conjunction with Arnold Ventures.

Rear Adm. Amy Bauernschmidt was among several military officials whose promotions were recently blocked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to reporting from The New York Times.

The newspaper found that five of the seven Navy officers were women or people of color.

Monday on Midday Edition, we hear about how Hegseth's policies and pushback against Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are continuing to impact military culture and rhetoric today.

Guest:

Andrew Dyer, military and veteran affairs reporter, KPBS

For the last six years, the Filipino American Friendship Festival has commemorated the signing of the Treaty of Manila, an act that freed the Philippines from the U.S.'s colonial rule.

Thursday on Midday Edition, we talk about how the festival is commemorating 80 years of the Philippines' independence and uplifting stories about the Filipino community.

Then, director Christopher Nolan's adaptation of "The Odyssey" hits theaters this week. Our Midday Movie critics discuss Nolan's take on Homer's epic poem and their picks for other films based on mythology.

And finally, what else is going on this weekend? KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans shares her top event picks, from a video game concert to skateboard art.

Guests:

• JoAnn Fields, government and public relations director, API Initiative
• Noemi Dumpalin, producer, "Love All" documentary
• Beth Accomando, arts reporter, host of the "Cinema Junkie" podcast, KPBS
• Yazdi Pithavala, podcast host, "Moviewallas"
• Julia Dixon Evans, arts reporter, host of "The Finest" podcast, KPBS

Data presented earlier this week shows testosterone levels in men have fallen by half over the past 50 years.

This Wellness Wednesday on Midday Edition, we learn more about what testosterone is and how it shapes men's health.

We also talk about some of the challenges in treating men today, in a culture where social media medical advice and easy-to-order treatment options abound.

Guest:

Dr. Ryan Nasseri, urologist, assistant professor, UC San Diego Health

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program offers status to people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

There are almost 500,000 DACA recipients in the U.S. But right now, many of them are losing status due to administrative delays.

On Midday Edition, we sit down with border reporter Gustavo Solis to find out more.

Guest:

• Gustavo Solis, investigative border reporter, KPBS

It is Pride week in San Diego and festivities are underway, as the city gears up for the annual Pride Festival and Parade — which is among the biggest Pride celebrations in the country.

San Diego Pride executive director KishaLynn Elliott has been at the helm of the organization for the past six months.

Midday Edition host Jade Hindmon sat down with Elliott to talk about what to expect for the rest of Pride Week, what San Diego Pride means to her and how the organization is continuing its advocacy work year round.

Guests:

• KishaLynn Elliott, executive director, San Diego Pride

On Sunday, July 12th, KPBS invited a live studio audience to experience three live tapings with our signature podcasts — "Midday Edition," "Port of Entry" and "The Finest."

All three conversations were connected by a central theme: the art of protest.

This episode contains the full Midday Edition interview with host Jade Hindmon, and two lifelong activists — Henry Wallace V and Josephine Talamantez.

Plus, we hear edited portions of conversations with our colleagues at Port of Entry and The Finest podcasts. Stay tuned for their respective episodes in the coming days and weeks.

Did you attend the event on Sunday? We want to hear your feedback. Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 619-452-0228.

Guests:

• Henry Wallace V, chairman of the San Diego Original Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment
• Josephine Talamantez, co-founder of Chicano Park; founder and Board Chair of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center
• Lourdes Ayon, comedian, writer, lobbyist
• Koy Sun, multi-disciplinary artist and storyteller